My Dear Demon
by Cheshirewocky
Summary: If you had the ability to see paranormal creatures, would you be afraid? Would others be afraid? When an American family moves to Japan to escape harassment back home, a tengu exiled from Demon World decides that this gifted girl is just what he needs.


**My Dear Demon**

_Chapter 1: Not So Easy_

Life isn't usually easy for a modern-day, demon-hunting priestess in Tokyo City.

"Hey…"

"Hm?"

"What's that?"

There are things that make it easier, though. The Japanese culture, deeply rooted in tradition and Buddhist/Shinto foundations, is quite accepting of contemporary mystical practices. New Age fads don't hurt either.

"What are you talking about?"

"That! Right there!"

The emphasis on strong family ties ensures that history, practices, and techniques that have developed over several hundred years will get passed down to each new generation. The tradition of honoring the aid of others means that the little-black-book of allies can always grow.

"I don't see anything…are you sure there's something there?"

"I'm pointing right at it!"

Even human society provides useful information for these spiritual protectors in the forms of myths, legends, and stories that they themselves remain conveniently oblivious to. Honestly, demons could literally crawl inside people's ears and they wouldn't notice.

"I told you to read a book if you're bored. Stop bothering the rest of us."

"How can you not see it? It's _looking_ at us."

Of course, some priestesses have major drawbacks. Namely, when they come from an entirely non-Asian culture, with a lineage that dates back to shepherds rather than samurais, and when they have never been exposed to demonic energies in all their lives. Or at least, not that they're aware of. After all, doesn't "priesthood" for anyone simply mean that they have the _potential_ to develop those powers? Spiritual awareness must be refined, surely, but the important thing is that there's something there to refine in the first place.

"Aren't you a little old for imaginary friends?"

"Those weren't friends. They were nightmares."

Unfortunately for the Ningenkai, many people born into each generation with spiritual awareness never receive any guidance or training. Each culture has its own methods for hunting demons, but that doesn't actually ensure that someone's talents will be recognized. Or appreciated.

Sarah's hands were clenched on the steering wheel as she slowly breathed in through her nose and released it shakily from her mouth. There was a haggard tightness in her face as she visibly tried to stay calm, "Maika, please don't do this again. We agreed that when we came here, it would be a fresh start for you."

Maika glanced at the rearview mirror to see that her mother was glaring at the road ahead. From the corner of her eye, she saw May shoot her a nasty glare, but she decided against looking at her sister. The moment when they could make light of her ability was over.

"Mom, I…" she began. Words failed her for a heavy moment before she quickly let out a nervous sigh and folded her arms self-consciously, sinking in her seat. "I know."

"Do you?" Sarah burst loudly, and she wasn't able to suppress the shrill note of anger in her voice.

There were a few fragile seconds when all three of them knew that _something_ could happen. The car had stopped in front of a traffic light. Maika and May sat still, and kept their eyes on the carpet. Finally, they heard the slow, controlled breathing from the front seat that they were hoping for. Maika dared another glance to see that there was a new sharpness in her mother's features as she tried to soothe her temper. Her eyes were shut tightly, and the crow's feet that deepened from the action gave her a pained appearance.

"This job offer…was an opportunity," Sarah spoke very slowly, her voice breaking as she carefully tried to feign poise. She sounded closer to tears, or shouting. Neither of the younger girls said anything. "I thought that coming here would help you. That…maybe, if you're in a different place…_it_ would go away."

'_It won't!'_ Maika thought.

"I was at least hoping…that all the adjustments we have to make would help distract you from…_them_," her knuckles whitened on the wheel. After a brief pause, she went on, "Maybe…maybe you could just try…ignoring them for a while."

Maika heard the familiar tone in her mother's voice amongst the restrained anger. There was helplessness and desperation, as though Sarah didn't know what she would do if her daughter said no. She was sinking chipped, broken nails into any wisp of hope that she could grasp onto.

Maika didn't respond at first. How could she tell her mother that this wasn't something she could just…_turn off_ like a light bulb? Just because she was in another country didn't mean that things would change.

But there was only one answer that she could give: "…I'll try. I promise."

Whatever brink Sarah had been standing on, those simple words seemed to help bring her down from it, just a little. Her face was still tight, but a feeling of cautious relief came over them all.

"…It would probably help, too, if you didn't talk about them," the older woman said, with slightly more confidence.

Maika just nodded in agreement, "I won't." _'I can't. Not around you.'_

She watched her mother's knuckles slowly regain their color, and she felt that she had to say something more. She shuffled her shoe on the ground hesitantly, "Maybe if I ignore them, they'll start leaving me alone." _'Not a chance.'_

Almost all the tension left her mother after that, and Maika wanted to feel happy. It was these small things that could keep them going, when she just let them be a normal family…but she couldn't get rid of that tight, knotted feeling in her chest. She kept smiling optimistically.

"That would be nice," Sarah said with an airy nod, having regained her composure. The light turned green and the car rolled smoothly along. The silence wasn't so much awkward anymore as it was weary. They had just dodged a big bullet.

"The movers should already be at the house, so get ready to keep track of your own belongings while we bring things in."

May watched their mother carefully for a few seconds, gauging her actions. Maika guessed that her sister found everything satisfactory, because she then turned to her and quietly slapped her arm.

"Baka iwanai-deyo!" she whispered coldly.

Don't say stupid things. Yeah, that was the story of her life.

When Maika looked back out the window, the thing that had been following them was gone.

OoOoOoOoO

"Aren't you excited? You finally get your own room! And your bathroom is twice as big – a sink for each of you."

Maika looked up from her clothes drawer to see her mother leaning in the doorway, holding a tray of biscuits and tea. She finished folding the shirt in her hands before straightening up and turning. Her shoulders squared a little and she crossed her arms, making an attempt at a smile, a shrug, and a nod as she looked around appraisingly. The gesture came out clumsy. Sarah's smile fell just a little, but she gave one more try, beckoning to the tray in her hands, "Do you want a snack? I know you must be wide awake with jet lag, but I thought something light in your belly might help you doze."

Her daughter smiled a little. It even seemed real for about half a second, before it fell into a thin, uneasy expression. Schooling her features into a facade of contentment instead, she nodded, and Sarah entered the room to place the tray on her nightstand. In the middle of the night, when their lamps were the only source of light, her mother's auburn curls took on an almost grayish hue; sunlight was the only thing that could do their golden-red color justice. May's hair was most like their mother's, a lovely strawberry-hazel that would probably also darken as she grew. Maika had hair more like her father's: "Dark chocolate with chocolate mouse," as he used to say.

Sarah sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. Maika slowly shuffled over and sat beside her, grabbing a biscuit from the tray. She nibbled at it a little, feeling her mother's gaze on the side of her head.

Sarah sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "Honey…I know that this move is tough, but I really think that it'll be good. For all of us."

Maika looked at her mother then, which was a mistake. The familiar clenching feeling in her chest returned and her stomach felt sick. She put the biscuit back in its spot on the tray and tried to keep her hands from shaking.

"I know you do, mom…"

But Sarah just didn't _understand_. Maika knew that there were so many things that happened because of her. Her mother's anger problem was something that could have been resolved long ago if Maika didn't constantly put her under so much stress. This entire move, halfway around the world from their home and friends and lives, was all for her. So that they could fix things. She wanted to fix things. She wanted to have a relationship with her mom and her sister again, because it hurt - it just _hurt_, feeling like there was a glass wall between them all the time. She knew that her family felt the same way, that they all missed the times when they were happy together...even though she could barely remember those. It frightened her, whenever things started falling apart again and again; she could feel just a little more distance between them every time it happened, and it made her wonder how far away they would get before they were just…too far away.

"I don't want you to worry, Maika," Sarah smiled again and ran a hand through her daughter's hair, "Everything is going to be new here for us. A new home, new work, new culture, and new people, but I think we're going to like it just fine."

Maika nodded, "You forgot a new school as well."

Sarah's eyes widened slightly as she nodded, "Which reminds me – your new uniform is coming tomorrow. By my understanding, it's one of the most hideous things that you will ever have the misfortune to wear."

That made Maika smile a little, "How lovely. I suppose I'll learn to like that just fine as well?"

Sarah grinned and stuck an index finger in front of her daughter's nose, "Precisely, young lady, and especially in front of your new schoolmates, you understand?"

Maika nodded, her smile widening, "Yes ma'am."

Sarah gave a nod of finality and ruffled her daughter's hair before standing, "I'd like you to try and get some sleep in if you can. If you're having trouble, take some of that melatonin, all right? You and your sister have just over a week to get over your jetlag."

Maika agreed that she would do so and her mother started for the door. She hesitated for a moment, unnoticed by the girl who was now using her fingers to tidy her mussed hair. After a second, Sarah walked back and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"I love you, honey," she said warmly.

All thoughts of her ruffled hair had flown from Maika's mind. The gesture was so bittersweet to her; it was something that none of them had had for a long time, but it also made her think of everything they'd gone through.

"I love you too, mom," she said quietly.

Sarah stood back up with a smile that was only a little uncertain, before she left the room with a final good night. Maika stayed on her bed, picking at the sheets and staring at her hands.

She was just about eight when she first began seeing _them_. She remembered arguing with her friends, and anyone who would pay attention, about the little shadows darting about the rooms. After a while, she could see _them_ more clearly, and hear them talking. She never was able to just keep her mouth shut…she always had a point to prove. She was so determined to make Sarah-Marie notice the ugly pixie living in her fire logs, or to get Michael to see the creature swimming under the lake by the shore. She was dismissed at first as having an active imagination and a mischievous personality.

It didn't take all that long for the people around her to become concerned. Her mother talked to her then, telling her that it would be best if she could keep these things to herself.

Children's young, developing minds are constantly limited to the present: they cannot comprehend forces or circumstances outside of an immediate, personal need – the need for comfort, safety, joy…but especially justice. Children live in a world of black and white; they believe in something, either because they have experienced it or learned it, and so it becomes incontestably true. Just as they cannot grasp the concept of the future, they cannot comprehend a way of seeing that is not their own, and so when their beliefs are challenged, that disagreement becomes an injustice, not only against them, but against an entire world that has only one point of view.

Maika tried to listen to her mother at first, but as the people around her continued to commit the injustice of denying something that was as plain as day to her, the immediate need to correct them simply couldn't be ignored. She was too young to comprehend the impact that her actions would have.

So things went downhill from there. Her friends wouldn't come near her anymore, nor would any of the other kids. They would just whisper behind her back or call her a witch from afar. Occasionally they threw stones. May lost all of her friends as well, labeled as the girl with a freak for a sister. Their mother had to deal with the complaints of the school and the other parents. More people started suggesting that Maika was possessed or insane – priests began visiting their home, and they started screening calls from psychiatrists and doctors. Just going to the market for food was difficult, and the stress started affecting Sarah's work. She yelled at her kids more. They spent less time together. Sarah mostly stayed in the house while Maika and May ran off on their own.

Maika curled up on the bed, still clutching the sheets. They had been trapped - suffocated in that place for years, surrounded by contempt and suspicion. The world had closed in on them until there wasn't enough air to breathe anymore. It was hard to grasp the idea that they were finally free – somewhere where they could start over. No one here knew them, no one would reject them.

They were breathing again, for the first time in an eternity.

Staring at her dark room, only able to make out the silhouettes of the furniture and the half-packed boxes, Maika decided that she couldn't let the same thing happen again. They had a chance here. Her mother's new boss was excited to have her start, and her sister couldn't stop talking about what their new school would be like and how she had a room all to herself.

Maika couldn't make _them_ disappear. She knew that, but it didn't matter. If it meant that she had to keep this secret to herself so that they could stay in this place, where they could start over, then she would. No one would find out about her ability.

From now on, she would ignore the creatures around her. They wouldn't exist.

* * *

**Author's Note:** No, this is not an Alternate Universe story. Yes, the YYH cast will appear soon; however, this story is not intended to revolve around Maika's interactions with the YYH cast - do not expect them to be featured as prominently as they are in most fanfics. And expect a few more minor characters to step up to the forefront. Thank you for reading the first chapter, and I hope you've been intrigued enough to stick with it until the next chapter. Reviews and constructive criticism are very welcome.


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